Original cast of Charmed break their silence working together

Asked what really went down when Doherty left the show in 2001 after playing witchy sister Prue Halliwell for three seasons, Alyssa Milano said even she wasn't sure. "We never really found out what happened. I can tell you that we were on the air with her for three years, and there were definitely some rough days."

"Holly and Shannen were best friends for like 10 years before the show started, so it was very much sort of like high school," she explained. "I would hope that in our thirties it wouldn't be like that anymore."

Holly Marie Combs, now starring on ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars, apparently disagreed with Milano's assessment of the experience. "Working on Charmed was nothing like high school," she tweeted. "I went to high school. It was a very important job to me and always will be."

"Yeah, agreed, considering it helped me support my family and pay for my dad's medical issues, but everyone has their opinion and views," Shannen Doherty chimed in. She later added, however, that she wasn't mad and thought Milano "did a great job" on WWHL. "That show can be tricky," she tweeted to a fan.

"OK, gang, there's no drama," she clarified. "Let's not feed into it!!"

Milano, for her part, later tried to smooth things over with her former costars. In response to Combs' tweet, she wrote, "You're lovely...My best to the family! Mwah! And my parents send their love to you!"

Combs didn't respond, but she and Milano can at least agree on one thing: Charmed was important to both of them. "It was the best job I've ever had in my life," Milano said on WWHL. "Certainly a learning experience."

by Anonymous

reply 100

05/23/2015

[quote]Yes, I was SHOCKED to find Shannen not there. I mean, she was there and then she wasn't there. And I loved working with her, and learned so much about psycho cunts from the devil's dirty dismal anus, thanks to my experience. Because I learned so much, and loved the experience, and loved learning so much. You know, and not not seeing her there after so much fun. You know? And I was the outsider, after all. Because, you know, I was a high school graduate.

by Anonymous

reply 2

07/11/2013

Alyssa's comments on Shannen's departure:

"We never really found out what happened,' she said. 'I can tell you that we were on the air with her for three years, and there were definitely some rough days.'

Despite the drama, Alyssa added that working on the show was 'the best job I've ever had in my life. Certainly a learning experience."

by Anonymous

reply 3

07/12/2013

Oh, please. I bet that set was worse than high school. I think Milano is taking the high road here.

Holly actually has done quite her share of nudity (the films CHAIN OF DESIRE and REASON TO BELIEVE).

I thought Shannen AND Alyssa were both fucking Julian Mac. I could see how that would DEFINITELY cause a rift. There was also a rumor that Shannen was jealous that Alyssa was getting all the endorsement deals.

by Anonymous

reply 15

07/14/2013

Holly had an alluring body, despite or perhaps because she was small in the bust and large in the hips. Even before her pregnancies, she was gaining weight during Charmed's run.

by Anonymous

reply 16

07/16/2013

Sounds like they're all bullshitting and beating around the bush (especially Holly). I hate when people can't just be candid.

by Anonymous

reply 17

07/16/2013

It's in their best interest to keep it quiet.

by Anonymous

reply 18

07/16/2013

I care about this.

by Anonymous

reply 19

07/16/2013

Who is "Lisa Rom"?

by Anonymous

reply 20

07/16/2013

I think Lisa was the original Phoebe,

by Anonymous

reply 21

07/16/2013

i think her name is Lori Rom

by Anonymous

reply 22

07/18/2013

You're right R22. Here's a clip of the Charmed unaired pilot with Lori.

by Anonymous

reply 23

07/19/2013

I guess Holly is not as fond of Alyssa as I thought.

Has Rose weighed in?

by Anonymous

reply 24

07/27/2013

Alyssa and Holly always seemed to get along.

by Anonymous

reply 25

07/27/2013

Rose wasn't really part of the club.

by Anonymous

reply 26

07/27/2013

Rose & Shannen are friends.

They made a HUGE mistake not bringing Shannen back for the final episode.

by Anonymous

reply 27

07/27/2013

They made a mistake with the final season.

by Anonymous

reply 28

07/27/2013

Shows always get bad when Shannen leaves them. Sadly she can't stick around longer for more than 4 seasons on a show. Would love to see her on a primetime soap again.

by Anonymous

reply 29

07/27/2013

R29 - BH90210 did well without Shannen. Tiffani was more than adequate in replacing her.

by Anonymous

reply 30

07/27/2013

I only watched for the hot guys. Julian was a gift from the gods.

Brian started out hot, but got fat.

by Anonymous

reply 31

07/28/2013

Brian and Holly gained a lot. Alyssa yo-yoed.

by Anonymous

reply 32

07/28/2013

Who was the shittiest actress? Alyssa, because of her incessant mugging and acting with her tits, then Rose, because she got bored really fast and it showed.

by Anonymous

reply 33

07/28/2013

Sure 90210 survived without her but was it as good? Nah! She has a certain spark that translates well on television.

by Anonymous

reply 34

07/28/2013

R34 - Tiffani was more interesting than Shannen.

R33 - Rose was the worst. Holly the best. Shannen and Alyssa were in the middle.

by Anonymous

reply 35

07/28/2013

R36 - When did Brian get thin again? He was chunky in the last season.

by Anonymous

reply 37

07/28/2013

He'd lost a considerable amount of weight later on in the series. Perhaps he picked a bit back up, but there was a time toward the end there where he no longer needed to wear big, untucked flannel shirts to cover up his bulk, because he'd trimmed down.

by Anonymous

reply 38

07/28/2013

No matter how big or small he got, Brian always had a great bubble butt.

by Anonymous

reply 39

07/28/2013

So Lori Rom got replaced as the original Piper and then as the original Phoebe on Friends? Girl cannot catch a break!

by Anonymous

reply 40

07/28/2013

Which season is that from R38?

by Anonymous

reply 41

07/29/2013

Best Charmed fan fic I ever read was when Cole was in full devil mode and fucked Leo up the ass.

Now why couldn't we see that on TV?

by Anonymous

reply 42

07/30/2013

R42 - link?

by Anonymous

reply 43

07/30/2013

All seems smoothed over now.

Smooth as Brian's hot ass.

by Anonymous

reply 44

08/02/2013

Holly and Brian at a panel at some convention. A fan asks how the actors prepared for changes in their relationship. Holly responds by saying that they went through those changes in real life - "I got pregnant, then you got pregnant." So, that explains Brian's weight gain.

by Anonymous

reply 45

08/02/2013

[quote]BH90210 did well without Shannen. Tiffani was more than adequate in replacing her.

The show may have continued on without her and Tiffani may have been an adequate replacement, but when you bring up the original 90210, no one immediately thinks Tiffani. You associate Shannen with it.

by Anonymous

reply 46

08/02/2013

R46 - That's because Shannen was there the first four seasons and people generally associate people with the show's first few seasons.

by Anonymous

reply 47

08/02/2013

[quote]That's because Shannen was there the first four seasons and people generally associate people with the show's first few seasons.

That's part of it. However, Shannen was also good and memorable in her part. Tiffani's sort of forgettable.

by Anonymous

reply 48

08/02/2013

R48 - Tiffani is not forgettable.

by Anonymous

reply 49

08/02/2013

Tiffani's first scene in 90210

by Anonymous

reply 50

08/02/2013

And this one

by Anonymous

reply 51

08/02/2013

[quote]Tiffani is not forgettable.

Kind of is. I forgot she was even on 90210 until someone mentioned it.

by Anonymous

reply 52

08/02/2013

To you R52. As I said, usually people remember the early years of a show better than latter years.

by Anonymous

reply 53

08/02/2013

True dat!

by Anonymous

reply 54

08/02/2013

Tiffani was gorgeous in 90210.

by Anonymous

reply 55

08/02/2013

Halloween bump

by Anonymous

reply 56

10/27/2014

R52, in a way true, I didn't remember Thiessen was in 90210 at all, although to be fair I got bored with 90210 after couple of seasons. But I really liked her in Fastlane with Peter Facinelli and Bill Bellamy, though. That's the show that comes to mind when I think of her. Too bad it got only one season.

I didn't like Charmed, way too chick-flicky for me.

by Anonymous

reply 57

10/27/2014

R57 - Tiffani was much more interesting on 90210 than Shannen was. I saw a couple episodes of Fastlane, but it did not appeal to me. Tiff did well on White Collar.

As for Charmed, Holly and Shannen are getting along well enough to be on Charmed panels together.

by Anonymous

reply 58

10/27/2014

Holly and Shannen are best friends, well before Charmed.

In fact it was Shannen that recommended Holly for the show when it was being cast

by Anonymous

reply 59

10/27/2014

Yeah, R58, I'm much more into action and spy stuff and Fastlane was all about that with comedy on top, it was great.

Doherty made her mark in 90210 and I guess anyone would've had hard time replacing her. I seriously don't remember Thiessen from a single episode even though I'm fairly certain I watched 90210 on and off until the show ended. I probably fast forwarded lot of it through, though. I mean when I think really hard about it I have a really vague feeling of some shy girl in 90210 that could've been her, but nothing more. But in Fastlane she was pure gold and I do like her a lot.

by Anonymous

reply 60

10/27/2014

R60 - Tiffani was one of the leads on 90210, starting in the fifth season. She played Val, who was a relative of the Walshes. She was a bit of a party girl at first, but settled down. She ran a club next to the Peach Pit.

by Anonymous

reply 61

10/27/2014

I've watched the entire show and I, personally liked Alyssa the best. She is very mature and had respect!! Shannen and Holly acted like brats...Still do!!!

by Anonymous

reply 62

05/09/2015

If Shannen and Holly were the clique then why was Shannen the one to be booted off and not Alyssa, I wonder? Maybe she pissed off some producers like she did on 90210.

[quote]"We never really found out what happened,' she said. 'I can tell you that we were on the air with her for three years, and there were definitely some rough days.'

Shannen told Spelling "Either she (Alyssa) goes or I go"

Spelling chose Alyssa and fired Shannen for a 2nd time (first being 90210)

The cast and crew rejoiced.

by Anonymous

reply 70

05/09/2015

Was Shannen more difficult to work with?

by Anonymous

reply 71

05/10/2015

R68, I don't know, it's pretty unusual for women to call each other a cunt, and doing so in such a public setting would be unfounforgivable.

by Anonymous

reply 72

05/10/2015

Shannen and Holly addressing Alyssa's comments.

by Anonymous

reply 73

05/10/2015

Alyssa is so full of shit.

by Anonymous

reply 74

05/10/2015

Awkward. I forgot Tiffany was on 90210.

by Anonymous

reply 75

05/10/2015

R75 - How could you?

by Anonymous

reply 76

05/10/2015

The show changed without Shannen. Rose can't act all that well, and her character was forced. Also, having Piper be the oldest sister made her annoying.

There were still good episodes in the post Shannen era, but the show was not as good.

by Anonymous

reply 77

05/10/2015

r77 The show was retooled several times to keep an audience.

It started out as charlies angles with witchcraft, and a vehicle for Shannon. Spelling assured Shannon that none of the drama surrounding 90210 would affect the show and her star status. And that the production would make this her vehicle. Spelling was a master at promotion, everyone turned in curious to see a spelling show with Shannon at the helm. Holly was a new actress with small credits, having been a supporting cast member on Picket Fences. Holly was brought in as a friend for Shannon, upon her request. Shannons input was asked in the earlier stages of development, including the casting process for her sisters.

Then the last minute replacement from Alyssa threw everything off. Shannon's lead status slowly changed according to the viewership that tuned in to see Alyssa and her big tittes after a few seasons. It was then retooled to give Alyssa the love story and other plots to keep male viewership, and Shannon felt her suggestions and requests for storylines and direction was minimized because Alyssa "popped" and production took advantage of her sex symbol status.

Shannon then felt her contractual agreements weren't being honored and her courtship between Spelling had waned. She felt the the three actresses should work towards a less "soapy" alternative. Earlier episodes show this transition into a crime/supernatural drama, into a camp soapfest. Shannon felt that her time on the series was at an end, and requested to be let go from her contract. She did feel the show wasn't as good as it could have been.

Alyssa and Holly were at odds over what they should do. Alyssa felt the show was fair at giving storylines and wanted to keep the trajectory of the viewership. Holly felt obligated and a sense of friendship with Shannon and wanted to ban together to work towards a mutual ground with production. Because of this tension, there were some hard feelings around, mostly between Holly and Alyssa.

Alyssa's contract of course had been renegotiated as well as Holly's and that is why the two stayed longer. Rose came in around this time, and the show survived the shake up with all cast feeling happy about that.

Shannon left with her rights intact to receive royalties and percentages from the show, and she didn't care if they let her go. She had money still coming in from the series run, and the DVD sales. So in all, she made a lot of money. Also, her reputation remained intact as well, she felt that her time on Charmed showed that she could be professional.

by Anonymous

reply 78

05/11/2015

i think Darrel the black guy, made the show. you can tellhe was swinging aroung a foot long billy club

by Anonymous

reply 79

05/11/2015

"Holly was a new actress with small credits, having been a supporting cast member on Picket Fences."

R78 - Holly had about as much screentime as Alyssa did.

by Anonymous

reply 80

05/11/2015

I meant respectively on Who's the Boss and Pickett Fences. Alyssa was supporting as well.

by Anonymous

reply 81

05/11/2015

Alyssa - 67 Credits, including softcore: Poison Ivy 2; and her nudes from other films. She was a pinup and sex icon for a lot of teen and college age guys(still is in some cases). That is why her nudes were always online and from which she had to sue to get them down.

Holly - 26 Credits.

r80 & r81, this is from IMDB the most recent history. In the late 90's Alyssa had more credits, and still does to this day!!!

by Anonymous

reply 82

05/13/2015

Alyssa had somewhat more credits than Holly prior to Charmed, but she was not in a completely different category. Alyssa was supporting on Who's the Boss and on one year of Melrose. Holly was supporting on Pickett Fences. Alyssa's movies were not break out hits.

by Anonymous

reply 83

05/13/2015

Shannen is talking about a reboot.

by Anonymous

reply 84

05/22/2015

I thought Alyssa Milano was dead?

by Anonymous

reply 85

05/22/2015

LOL R85

by Anonymous

reply 86

05/22/2015

No R70. Alyssa was the one that gave the ultimatum and no, the crew was not overjoyed with Shannen leaving. Not that the crew loved Shannen, but the staff and crew preferred her over Alyssa.

I've posted about this before in one of the other Charmed threads.

by Anonymous

reply 87

05/22/2015

[quote]So Lori Rom got replaced as the original Piper and then as the original Phoebe on Friends? Girl cannot catch a break!

No, Lori Rom was the original 'Phoebe.' She quit after the original pilot and was replaced by Alyssa Milano. Then the pilot was reshot with Milano in the role.

by Anonymous

reply 88

05/22/2015

With the state of the industry, they might as well make a Lifetime miniseries about the making of Charmed, starring various important bimbos, with Peter O'Toole as Aaron Spelling

by Anonymous

reply 89

05/22/2015

Alyssa Milano was on WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE several months back, and Andy Cohen showed her Shannen Doherty's "Plead the Fifth" segment, where she had to say three nice things about Alyssa but had a hard time doing so, and then Andy had Alyssa do the same thing in return.

by Anonymous

reply 90

05/22/2015

R89 Peter O'Toole died a year and a half ago.

by Anonymous

reply 91

05/22/2015

yes,

by Anonymous

reply 92

05/22/2015

So he can't play Aaron Spelling. You should suggest someone else.

by Anonymous

reply 93

05/22/2015

Spelling looked half dead even when alive.

by Anonymous

reply 94

05/22/2015

The original Piper/Alyssa quit? Or she was bumped for a more established actress? Like Alyson Hannigan in Buffy.

by Anonymous

reply 95

05/22/2015

Lori Rom supposedly left the series because she felt that playing a witch was in conflict with her Christian beliefs.

One has to wonder why she agreed to take the role in the first place then.

by Anonymous

reply 96

05/22/2015

It worked out for the best. Rom was way too tall and towered over both Doherty and Combs.

by Anonymous

reply 97

05/23/2015

I'll say this about the clip in R73 and in other clips that I've seen of Shannen (on Howard Stern asking her about Paris), I'm surprised she responds pretty neutral and doesn't throw people under the bus, when she could.

I don't know if she's always been like that in interviews or if she's actually maturing, but I appreciate it.

by Anonymous

reply 98

05/23/2015

She's always been like that R98. Actually, they both have.

by Anonymous

reply 99

05/23/2015

R97, she's taller, but not that much taller. Lori and Alyssa do look a bit alike.

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